title: Efficient solar water oxidation using photovoltaic devices functionalized with earth-abundant oxygen evolving catalysts.
abstract: Indium tin oxide (ITO) surfaces of triple junction photovoltaic cells were functionalized with oxygen evolving catalysts (OECs) based on amorphous hydrous earth-abundant metal oxides (metal = Fe, Ni, Co), obtained by straightforward Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR) in an aqueous environment. Functionalization with Fe(iii) oxides gave the best results, leading to photoanodes capable of efficiently splitting water, with photocurrent densities up to 6 ± 1 mA cm(-2) at 0 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) under AM 1.5 G simulated sunlight illumination. The resulting Solar To Hydrogen (STH) conversion efficiencies, measured in two electrodes configuration, were in the range 3.7-5%, depending on the counter electrode that was employed. Investigations on the stability showed that these photoanodes were able to sustain 120 minutes of continuous illumination with a < 10% photocurrent loss at 0 V vs. RHE. Pristine photoanodic response of the cells could be fully restored by an additional SILAR cycle, evidencing that the observed loss is due to the detachment of the more weakly surface bound catalyst.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Vito
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cristino
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Berardi
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Caramori
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Argazzi
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carli
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Meda
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tacca
authors.forename: Carlo Alberto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Bignozzi
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry*; D012993:Solar Energy; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D014867:Water; D010100:Oxygen